Decode
by Unknown Destination
Summary: Elyon loves Cedric, but she's becoming suspicious of him and Phobos. Are they telling her the truth? Just before her coronation. Drabble. Songfic to Decode by Paramore. No flames, please.


_**Sorry, this is major angsty drabble. I just had to get this off my chest. I always thought of this song when reading about Cedric and Elyon.**_

_How can I decide what's right_

_When you're clouding up my mind?_

He was all she thought about. Thoughts of his long, silky blonde hair and mysterious blue eyes constantly danced through her mind. His handsome face was permanently tattooed on the walls of her mind. She loved him- that was certain. What wasn't certain was him. He was always kind to her, but never open. He always locked himself inside, never was fully unguarded around her. Undoubtedly, his mysteriousness intrigued her even more, but it also scared her slightly. She could never be sure about how he felt about her, never sure if he was being honest. What did he have to hide? He said he cared for her immensely- why she doubt him? What should she do?

_I can't win your losing fight_

_All the time._

He was always trying to gain her trust. He was kind to her. He showered her with gifts. He was always gentle, loyal, and very sweet. So why did she doubt his motives? She knew it was because how he acted when she _wasn't_ around. Without him knowing, she saw the cruel side of him. She saw him mistreat peasants, collect surplus amounts of food and valuables, and treat innocent people in the cruelest of ways. Of course, he always had an excuse- one that seemed so reasonable and logical she should have believed him in a heartbeat. But she didn't. She wanted to desperately, but she couldn't. He was losing the fight to gain her trust.

_How can ever own what's mine_

_When you're always taking sides?_

She knew what a poor state Meridian was in. Battles raged, men and women starved, and thousands were below the poverty line. She knew something had to be done. So why didn't her brother do anything? At first, she was blinded by the fact that she finally had a real family- complete with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and most importantly, _a brother_. She began to think that everything was perfect. But then she started to see through the veil that her brother had closed around her, with Cedric's help. Phobos had deceived her- her visions and plans were not being turned into actions. In fact they were being completely forgotten, and Meridian fell deeper into despair. What hurt the most was that she knew Cedric was helping create the illusion of perfection, blinding her with false stories of prosperity and peace. Now she knew that there was only chaos and darkness- all fruits of Phobos and Cedric's work.

_But you won't take away my pride, _

_not this this time._

She knew what she had to do- she had to erase all illusions her brother and beloved had placed in her mind. She had to destroy the veil hiding herself from the rest of her people, and make changes. She had to erase the remnants of her brothers transgressions, and create a peaceful, prosperous Meridian. It was her duty as queen of Meridian. She knew what she had to do- the only problem was, didn't know if she could do it. Could she commit treason against the two men she loved so dearly?

_How did we get here?_

_When I used to know you so well_

_how did we get here?_

_Well, I think I know._

How could they do this to her? How could they openly lie to her and deny her the right to be the queen Meridian needed, the queen she was born to be? She had lost all her trust in- no. No, she could never lose all her trust in them. She still loved them, loved them more than anything. She still had some faith in them. Still knew there was still a chance for them to see the error of there ways, to change. There was till hope. Just not enough. Not enough so that she would believe their spells of illusion, their treacherous lies and deceit. She wanted to just believe their false stories and live peacefully, but something always stopped. She was always a stickler for doing the right thing.

_The truth is hiding in your eyes_

_And it's hanging on your tongue _

_Just boiling in my blood._

She had once saw imminent truth in Cedric's stories of how great and beautiful Meridian was, and how him and Phobos were there to love and protect her. She never saw the lie in his eyes, written across his beautiful face, in his soul. Slowly though, ever so slowly, it became clearer and clearer. It was as though as he lied more, the thick fog hiding his true self had slowly seeped away, revealing all that he was. Some newly discovered parts of him she liked- he was strong, a leader, a fighter, and determined. She also saw that he was power- hungry, selfish, and willing to do anything to get his way. She loved him, despite everything, but she was beginning to question how strong her love was.

_But you think that I can't see_

_What kind of man that you are,_

_I__f you're a man at all._

She hated that he had kept this one fact from her- who he was. Or, more importantly, _what_ he was. She had seen Cedric enter the throne room for "business matters"- matters that she, of course, were never able to attend, even though she was probably the most powerful person in Meridian, politically and physically (or, at least, she would be). Oddly enough, Cedric never missed those meetings. So, for four hours, she would wait outside the closed doors of the throne room, waiting for her beloved Cedric. The strange thing was, he never comes out. Instead, Phobos would always appear, with a giant green snake- man that entered repeatedly in her nightmares by his side, where Cedric should be. Phobos would converse with the half- reptile, them she would here, "Yes, my lord," hissing from between the snake- man's razor sharp jaws. Just as Cedric would always answer her brother. When she thought about it, she realized that many times, Cedric would disappear into a room, never coming out. Exiting the door would always be the ominous, lurking creature she was terribly afraid of- the snake- man, or (maybe) Cedric.

_Well, I will figure this one out_

_On my own.(I'm screaming, "I love you so.")_

_On my own.(My thoughts you can't decode)_

She was a queen for heaven sakes! This pain she felt, she knew it was a strong weakness (A/N- oxymoron, I know). This searing pain she felt in her heart she saw whenever her love betrayed her. It was a weakness she couldn't afford, though. She had to rise above it, no matter how much she loved Cedric. Know matter how much it would kill her to do it. She owed that to her people, to her Candracar, to the Guardians, to herself. She had left them (against her will, but still) and know she had to repay what her brother's rule had cost them. She would figure out how to renew Meridian and bring back it's prosperity.

_How did we get here?_

_When I used to know you so well, _

_how did we get here?_

_Well, I think I know._

Her coronation was tomorrow. That's when everything would change. She would be queen, and everything would be better. She would make it happen.

_Do you see what we've done?_

_We've gone and made such fools of ourselves_

_Do you see what we've done?We've gone and made such fools of ourselves._

She was no longer the young, helpless, naïve girl who met Cedric in the bookshop. She wouldn't make a fool of herself any more by believing his obvious lies. She wouldn't fall at his feet any longer. She would be strong now.

_How did we get here? _

_When I used to know you so well, yeah, _

_How did we get here?_

_Well, I used to know you so well._

_I think I know.I think I know._

She was ready. Her coronation was hours away, and she was ready to do whatever it takes to be a great queen. She knew she would.

_There is something I see in you_

_It might kill me._

_But I want it to be true._

He was hers. She was his. She would forever have this bond with him. She would always love him.

She would always love Cedric.

She would have to destroy the snake.

**I know, I know, random ending. I just had to do that! Seriously, I had to end it like that- otherwise, I'd have ended it way worse. Trust me, my alternatives were terrible. Hope you enjoyed it though!!!**

**-iheartsethclearwater**


End file.
